With 78-year-old father on the bag, Lara Tennant wins U.S. Senior Women's Amateur

After putting the finishing touches on her 3-and-2 victory over Sue Wooster in the 18-hole final of the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, Lara Tennant didn’t have to go very far to celebrate with her father.

George Mack, Sr., 78, caddied for his 51-year-old daughter all week at Orchard Island Golf and Beach Club in Vero Beach, Fla.

“It’s been such a blessing to have him here, and it’s amazing to share this experience with my dad,” said Tennant, who is one of Mack’s five children, each of whom have caddied for Mack at some point during his playing days.

Mack played in five USGA events. This was Tennant’s ninth USGA championship. The Portland, Ore., resident, mother of five children of her own and former Arizona standout played in her first back in 1983, at the U.S. Girls’ Junior. She also was medalist at last year’s U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and competed in this summer’s inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open, where she made a hole-in-one on Chicago Golf Club’s seventh hole.

Until this week, Tennant had won just one USGA match. Tennant needed only 99 holes to get through the 64-player match-play bracket at Orchard Island.

“I would say except for last year, all of the other USGA championships I played in, I probably prepared two weeks before,” Tennant said. “With five kids, I was never prepared like I am now. Since I turned 50, I was able to have time to prepare, and I would say I have a new passion for golf. I love to practice, but I have time to practice.”

Tennant, with her win, now receives a 10-year exemption into the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur along with two-year exemptions into the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur.